1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a two-part shipping and packing label system and method of making and applying the system which permits rapid placement of a shipping label over a packing list also provided as a label wherein both are applied to a substrate such as a container or the like. More particularly, it is concerned with a shipping and packing label system which may be sequentially applied to the container, wherein the shipping label is placed in registry over and around the packing list to conceal the latter until the shipping label is removed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The emergence of mail order sales through catalogs and online retail sites has greatly expanded the shipment of products through the mail and commercial delivery services. The shipper must have a shipping label which provides an address to which the package is directed. In addition, a packing list must be provided for inventory control and tracking by the shipper and to provide the recipient a way to check whether the contents of the package match the order as placed. An inherent requirement is that the packing list be concealed from external view or be tamper evident to quickly show if someone has attempted to discover the contents of the shipping carton during delivery. One way of accomplishing this is to insert a packing list into the carton along with the products to be shipped, and then to apply a separate shipping label on the exterior of the carton. However, this is time consuming, requires substantial manual work by the shipper, and requires substantial efforts to coordinate the activities of the packing list placement with the application of the shipping label when the two steps are performed at remote locations. More significantly, this activity results in slowed processing of the order at the time of shipping, and prevents substantial economies to be achieved by increasing the speed of the conveyor during the shipping process.
An alternative method of applying shipping labels and packing lists involves the use of clear plastic pouches which are adhered to the outside of the carton with the statement “PACKING LIST ENCLOSED” printed thereon. The use of such plastic pouches enables the shipper to place the packing list and the shipping label on the exterior of the carton at the same time, but such pouches are expensive and still require the insertion of the packing list into the pouch, sealing of the pouch, placement of the pouch, and placement of the shipping label, which steps may involve further expense in the form of additional machines and or increased human labor, may reduce the speed of the shipping conveyor, and still has the shipping label printed and applied separately from the packing list which may result in separation of the two.
Recently, I have developed an improved shipping and packing label as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,186,554 and 6,213,518, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. This shipping and packing label represents a substantial improvement over the prior art and permits automated printing and application of the shipping label. However, these shipping and packing labels require duplex printers to apply printing to both sides of the form simultaneously. These printers are not readily available and thus currently inhibit the use of such forms by many shippers. Moreover, the requirement for a duplex printer prevents the use of current printers and label applicators from their use. The forms of the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,186,554 and 6,213,518 patents are also designed for manual application to the container and do not lend themselves to high speed continuous application in an automated system which provides automated printing and application of the form in concert with automated matching of the shipping label to the container.
There has thus developed a need for a shipping label and packing list system which is economical, may be rapidly applied, and enables automated printing and application.